Handle-bar mechanism for pleasure-railways.



J. A. MILLER. HANDLE BAR MECHANISM FOR PLEASURE RAILWAYS.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1912. 1,062,839. Patented May 27, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1' I Masses COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COHWASHINGTDN, D. c.

I J. A. MILLER. HANDLE BAR MECHANISM FOR PLEASURE RAILWAYS.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1912.- 1,062,839. Patented May 27, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

:OLUMEIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. C.

JOHN A. MILLER, OF CHICAGO ILLINOIS.

HANDLE-BAR MECHANISM FOR PLEASURE-RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27,1913.

Application filed September 27, 1912. Serial No. 722,631.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. MILLER, a resident of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Handle- Bar Mechanisms for Pleasure-Railways, of whichthefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to handle bar mechanism for pleasure railways andits general object is to provide more simple and reliable construction,arrangement and control.

More in detail, among the important objects of the invention are toprovide a construction and arrangement in which handle bar structuresmay have direct locking engagement at their upper ends with the seatstructure so as to eliminate all leverage of the handle bar structuresand to put the strain practically all on the seat structure; to providepockets or notches at the front of the seat structures intowhich thetransverse members of the handle bar structures may engage to be lockedto the seat structure, and to provide means for shifting the lower endsof the handle bar structures laterally to carry the upper ends of thestructures into locking engagement or to withdraw them therefrom; toprovide a common means for effecting simultaneous looking or unlockingof a plurality of handle bar structures; and to provide improved meansfor automatically looking a common actuating means.

The various features of my invention will be clearly understood byreferring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the constructionembodying these various fea' tures.

In these drawingsFigure l-is a side elevational view of a pleasurevehicle with my improved handle bar structure mechanism applied thereto;Fig. 2 is a view looking from plane 22, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is'a planview with the seats removed.

The vehicle body comprises cross beams 5 supporting at their ends therunning boards 6 and 7, seat frames S being also supported in anysuitable manner, the seat structures shown comprising a back 8, sides 9and a seat 10. At either side of the vehicle and below the running.boards are supported frames or blocks 11 each carrying a journal box 12,opposite journal boxes receiving the ends of axles 13 which support thevehicle wheels 14.

For each seat there is provided a handle bar structure designated as awhole As best shown in Fig. 2, each handle bar structurecomprises thetop cross bar 15and the side bars 16, the lower ends of the side barsbeing bent as shown. At the front edges of the seat'structure sides 9suitable notches or pockets are provided. Such pockets or notches may beprovided in separate fittings to be applied to the seat structures or,as

shown, notches 17 may be out directly into the seat structure sides.Thesenotches serve to receive the ends of the handle bar structure crossbeam 15. In order that the cross beam 15 may be moved into or out of thenotches, the lower end of each handle bar structure is adapted to beshifted laterally and as shown, is pivoted to ahorizontal slide,

bar 18. Each of these slide bars is guided between upper and lowerrollers 19 and '20 The notches 17 are given such direction and shapethat when the bars 18 have been moved forwardlythe cross bars 15 willhave been carried past the outer edge of the up per notch walls 17 butwill still rest against the lower walls 17". This position of the handlebar structure is indicated by the dotted lines at H. The handle barstruc, ture can now be swung forwardly to posi tion H so that passengerscan leave the seat and in this position the center of gravity of thestructure is in front of its pivot line and the handle bar structurewill maintain its outer positionand will lie against the back ofthenextseat structure as'shown.

After passengers have again entered the car seat, the handle barstructure is pulled toward the seat to bring the cross bar 15 at theentrance of the locking notches and the bars 18 are then movedrearwardly and the cross bar ends carried upwardly into the notches, theupper walls 17 then securely locking the handle bar structure againstoutward swing and all strain on the handle bar structures will be takenup by the seat structure.

Describing now the improved means for effecting adjustment of the bars'18, a transverse shaft 20 is journaled in suitable bearing blocks 21secured to one of the cross beams 5. Below each bar 18 the shaft 20carries a sleeve 22 having arms 28 extending therefrom between whoseends a link 24 is pivoted at its inner end, the outer end of the linkbeing bifurcated to receive the corresponding bar 18 to which it ispivoted as clearly indicated. Extending from either end of the shaft 20is a trip lever 25 by means of which the shaft 20 may readily be turnedto effect adjustment of the bars 18. It is of course readily understoodthat any number of handle bar structures could be pivoted to the bars 18and controlled simultaneously upon actuation of shaft 20. hen thesehandle bar structures are in locking engagement with their respectivenotches the trip levers 25 extend downwardly and abut against the crossbeam 5 from which the shaft is supported and the pivot centers of arms23 and links 24: are below the plane passing through the center of shaft20 and the pivots of links 2 1 and bars 18 so that the bars 18 areautomatically locked against outward movement and the handle barstructures held in their locking notches. It will therefore beimpossible for occupants of a car to release the handle bar structure bypushing forwardly against the lower ends thereof. If it is desired toopen the handle bar structure, an attendant may swing either trip leverupwardly to cause the bars 18 to be shifted forwardly whereupon thehandle bar structures can be swung into open position. Release of thehandle bar structures could also be accomplished automatically by theprovision of a suitable tripping rail 26 provided adjacent the track tobe engaged at the proper time by the tripping levers 25. Such trippingrelease is usually provided at the unloading platform so that the handlebar structures will be automatically unlocked as the car comes to astop. After the cars have been reloaded, the handle bar structures areswung by the attendants or the occupants against the lower walls of thelocking notches and the attendant then swings the trip levers 25downwardly to effectrearward shift of the bars 18 and raising of thecross bars 15 into the notches. Another procedure could be to furtherraise the trip levers before downward swing thereof so that the bars 18would be shifted forwardly further and the center of gravity of thehandle bar structures shifted forwardly and these structures caused tofall by .gravity against the seat structures. Downward movement of thetrip levers would shift the bars 18 rearwardly and the handle barstructures would be raised into locking engagement with the seatstructures.

If desired, spring or equivalent mechanism could be applied forresisting unlocking movement of the bars 18. As shown, com pressionsprings 27 are provided between the vehicle body and the front ends ofthe bars 18. These springs by acting on the bars 18 will tend to holdthe tripping levers 25 downwardly. lVhen the car reaches the unloadingstation, the trip levers will engage with the tripping shoes and thehandle bar structures will be released. When the car is again loaded andthe handle bar structures swung against the seats, the tripping leverswill leave the tripping shoes immediately after the car has been startedand the springs will shift the bars 18 rearwardly and will effectlocking of the handle bar structures and the trip levers will be movedto their downward position to be ready for their next engagement withthe tripping shoes.

The handle bar mechanism above described is extremely simple yet veryeflicient. Each handle bar structure being securely anchored at itslower end adjacent the car body and being securely anchored at its upperend to its seat structure, maximum efficiency is obtained, there beingno chance for leverage and consequent bending of the handle barstructures and the entire weight and strain of the occupants against thehandle bar structure is taken up by the seat structure. Very small forceacting through a very short distance is sufficient to powerfully movethe handle bar structures into locking position and the pivotarrangement of the actuating mechanism links is such that the entireoutfit will be automatically securely locked and no amount of pressureon the lower ends of the handle bar structures by the car occupants caneffect unlocking.

I do not of course desire to be limited to the precise construction andarrangementshown and described as the features of the invention could beembodied in other structures and arrangements.

1 claim the following:

1. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the com- 7 bination of a vehicle bodyand a seat structure thereon, a handle bar structure supported at itslower end on the vehicle body in front of the seat structure, a notch atthe front of said seat structure near the top thereof, and means forshifting the lower end of said handle bar structure toward or away fromsaid seat structure to cause vertical movement of'the upper end of saidhandle bar structure and engagement thereof in said notch to becomelocked to the seat structure.

2. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination of a vehicle body anda seat structure thereon, a handle bar structure comprising a cross rodand side bars extending downwardly therefrom, means pivotally supportingthe lower ends of said side bars, said supporting means beinghorizontally shiftable toward and away from the seat structure therebyto effectmovement of the side bars being inclined toward said seatstructure so that movement of the shiftable bars toward and away fromsaid seat structure 'will cause respectively upward and downwardmovement of the cross rod, and notches provided on said seat structurefor receiving said cross rod upon vertical move ment thereof to locksaid rod rigidly to the seat structure.

4;. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination of a vehicle body anda seat structure thereon, a handle bar structure in front of the seatstructure, bars longitudinally shiftable 011 said vehicle body to whichbars said handle bar structure is pivoted at its lower end, said handlebar structure being adapted to be swung in inclined position in front ofthe seat structure, and locking means on said seat structure cooperatingwith said handle bar structure upon shifting of said bars to rigidlylock the handle bar structure to the seat structure. V

V 5. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination of a vehicle bodyand a seat structure thereon, a handle bar structure comprising a topcross rod and side rods extending downwardly therefrom, said side barsbeing supported at the lower ends on the vehicle body and being adaptedto be swung to inclined position with the cross rod resting against thefront of the seat structure, notches cut in said seat structure, andmeans for shifting the lower ends of said side bars toward said seatstructure to thereby effect raising of said cross rod and engagement'ofsaidcross rod in said notches to be securely locked thereby to the seatstructure.

6. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination of a vehicle body anda plurality of seat structures thereon, a handle bar frame for each seatstructure, bars longitudinally shiftable on said vehicle to which thelower ends of said handle bar frames are pivoted, each seat structurehaving notches at its front disposed in the path of the upper end of theassociated handle bar frame and means for shifting said bars to effectsimultaneous vertical movement of the upper ends of said handle barframes and engagement thereof in said notches to be thereby rigidlylocked to the seat structures. 7

7 In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination of a vehicle body and aseat structure thereon, a handle bar structure comprising an upper crossrod and side bars extending downwardly therefrom, supporting memberslongitudinally shiftable on said ve hicle and to which the lower ends ofsaid side bars are pivoted, locking notches provided at the front ofsaid seat structure in the path of said cross rod, lateral movement ofthe lower ends of said side bars by said supporting members causingvertical movement of said cross rod and engagement thereof in saidnotches to be rigidlylocked to said seat structure, a cross shaftjo-urnale'd on said vehicle, means for rotating said shaft, andconnecting links between said shaft and said side bar supporting membersfor effecting longitudinal shift of said-members upon rotation of saidshaft.

8. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination of a vehicle body anda seat structure thereon, a handle bar structure comprising a top crossmember and downwardly extending side members, bars shiftablelongitudinally on said vehicle and to which.

said side members are pivoted at their lower ends to be shifted towardor away from mid seat structure to thereby effect vertical movement ofthe cross member, notches provided at the front of said seat structurefor receiving said handle bar structure cross mem ber and upon verticalmovement thereof to lock said member rigidly to the seat structure, ashaft journaled on said vehicle, arms extending from said shaft, linkspivoting to said arms and to said bars whereby said bars will beshifted. upon rotation of said shaft, and actuating levers extendingfrom said shaft.

9. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination of a vehicle body anda seat structure thereon, a handle bar structure comprising a crossmember and downwardly extending side members, bars longitudinallyreciprocable on said vehicle body, said handle bar side members beingpivoted to said bars a distance in front of said seat structure wherebyshifting of said bars toward said seat structure will effect upwardmovement of said cross members, notches provided in the front of saidseat structure for receiving the cross member upon such upward movementthereof and for locking same rigidly to the said structure, a shaftjournaled on said vehicle body, arms extending from said shaft, linkspivoting to said arms and to said bars, and tripping levers extendingfrom said shaft and adapted to be engaged from the exterior of thevehicle to cause rotation of said shaft and shifting of said bars awayfrom the seat structure to cause release of the handle bar structuresfrom the seat structures.

10. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the com ported on the body in frontof said seat structure and adapted for engagement at its top with theseat structure, means for shifting the lower end of said handle barstructure toward the seat structure to effect vertical movement of itsupper end, and means on the seat structure for engaging with the upperend of said handle bar structure upon such vertical movement and to lockthe handle bar structure to the seat structure.

11. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination of a body part and aframe thereon, a handle bar structure supported at its lower end on thevehicle body and adapted to swing into inclined position in front of theseat frame, means for effecting bodily shifting of said handle barstructure toward perpendicular, and detents for receiving the handle barstructure when thus shifted to lock said structure to the seat frame.

12. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination with a vehicle bodyand a seat structure thereon, of a handle bar structure supported at itslower end on the vehicle body, actuating means for shifting the lowerend of said handle bar structure toward the seat frame whereby the upperend of said handle bar structure is moved vertically,

means for locking the upper end of said handle bar structure to the seatframe upon said vertical movement, said actuating mechanism beingself-locking to prevent movement of the handle bar structure away fromthe seat frame.

13. In a pleasure railway vehicle, the combination with the vehicle bodyand a seat structure thereon, a handle bar structure in front of theseat structure and pivoted at its lower end to the vehicle body, saidhandle bar structure being adapted to assume an inclined position,detent mechanism on said seat structure, actuating mechanism foreffecting shift of the handle bar structure toward perpendicular tocarry the upper end of said structure into locking engagement wit-h saiddetent mechanism, said actuating mechanism being self-locking when movedto thus shift the handle bar structure, means tending to hold saidactuating mechanism in such self-locked position, and means forreleasing said actuating mechanism.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day ofSeptember, A. D., 1912.

JOHN A. MILLER.

Witnesses:

J OYCE M. LUTZ, C. J. SCHMIDT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

